אוּרִיאֵל
𐤀𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤀𐤋
Uriel
H222 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Uriel – a personal name meaning 'El (God) is my light' or 'El is my fire.' This compound name appears as the name of notable individuals in biblical genealogies and narratives and reflects the theophoric naming pattern incorporating the divine name El with a metaphor related to light or fire. The semantic range covers literal and symbolic uses connected to the components 'light', 'fire', and 'El (God)' within the structure of a personal name.
Semantic Range
personal name—'El is my light', 'El is my fire'; symbolic association with divine illumination or protection; used as the name of specific Israelites; in later tradition, associated with an angelic figure
Root / Etymology
אוּר (ʾûr; 'light, flame, fire') + אֵל (ʾēl; 'God, El'). The name is a theophoric compound: 'El is my light' or 'El is my fire.' Derived from the verbal root אוּר meaning 'to be light, to shine' or 'to burn', paired with the theophoric element El, a common divine appellation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
אוּרִיאֵל appears as the name of at least two individuals in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., a descendant of Levi in 1 Chronicles 6:24 and the father of Michaiah, mother of King Abijah, in 2 Chronicles 13:2). The name follows a common Israelite naming convention that links the divine element 'El' with a metaphor indicating protection, illumination, or power. In ancient Israelite culture, 'light' and 'fire' were both symbols of divine presence or favor. Later Jewish tradition associates Uriel with an archangel, but this association is absent from the Hebrew Bible and reflects Second Temple and later developments. English translations retain the name in transliteration; older translations sometimes interpret the meaning but do not add substantial nuance.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אוּר and אֵל; flame of God; Uriel, the name of two Israelites; Uriel.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
אוּר (Ur) — to burn, to blaze, to flame
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H222-02 |
אוּרִיאֵ֣ל | uriel | HNp |
Uriel | El is my light | Uriel | 3 |
H222-01 |
לְ/אֽוּרִיאֵ֤ל | leuriel | HR/Np |
for Uriel | to El-is-my-light | to Uriel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H222-02 |
1 Chronicles 6:9 | אוּרִיאֵ֣ל | uriel | HNp |
Uriel | El is my light | Uriel |
H222-02 |
1 Chronicles 15:5 | אוּרִיאֵ֣ל | uriel | HNp |
Uriel | El is my light | Uriel |
H222-01 |
1 Chronicles 15:11 | לְ/אֽוּרִיאֵ֤ל | leuriel | HR/Np |
for Uriel | to El-is-my-light | to Uriel |
H222-02 |
2 Chronicles 13:2 | אוּרִיאֵ֖ל | uriel | HNp |
of Uriel | El is my light | Uriel |